12/08/2009

Best Santa Claus Picture Books for 2009: Picture Book Tuesday

In order to watch her niece, Sophie Kringle, dance as the Sugar Plum Fairy in the school play that is to be performed on Christmas eve, Auntie Claus, Santa's sister, decides to move the North Pole to New York. Complications arise.

Of course, there are a gazillion editions of The Night Before Christmas, but what I found striking about this was its African setting, done by Rachel Isadora. She retains Moore's original poem, but replaces the usual Victorian decor with an African home, African clothing and African gifts. Even Santa looks different, clad in animal-print pants, and with brown skin and white dreadlocks. The stuffed animals he delivers include an elephant, zebra and giraffe. Beautiful!

Cuyler's series on That's Good! That's Bad! has always been great fun, and so giving Santa himself very good, and very bad, experiences seems a logical extension to the series. As always after each mishap or lucky break, the refrain of the title, or its reverse, helps readers see how positive-seeming events can go bad, and problems can often have unexpectedly good consequences. Expect lots of slapstick humor!

When my kids were growing up, we always read The Night Before Christmas some time during the holiday season, and left cookies and milk out for Santa on Christmas eve ... It wasn't terribly original, but it was fun for the kids. On Christmas morning, they always marveled about the presents Santa had left, but also that Santa had taken time to eat the cookies. It was almost as if they were a more solid proof that Santa had been there.

Do you have any family traditions regarding Santa, or reading books featuring Old Saint Nick?

Oh ... and I always wanted to welcome you to the Take Another Chance Challenge! I'm so glad you decided to participate and I look forward to seeing what books you end up reading and the posts you end up writing! Have fun with it!

About Me

A former children's librarian, I am a country dweller, a lover of domestic pursuits (gardening, home decorating, scrapbooking, reading); a God, family and friend lover. My husband and I are the parents of three and the grandparents of five. We love travel and adventure. Mike built a Vans RV-7 airplane during his spare time over six years. Whenever we can, we fly places in it.
Last but not least, I write fiction. I have written two YA manuscripts, several sweet romances, a historical saga, and am currently revising a historical inspirational romance. Welcome to my world!

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I'm a minimalist blogger, but I almost always post a weekly update about the previous week's reading and writing-related activities. If I've been traveling, I often post about that. I also review YA romance, inspirational romance (historical and contemporary), and women's fiction.